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The Great Northern Empire
A large empire in the Northeast of Clayth. The Jade Empire is reclusive and Imperial to a fault. The society of the Jade Empire is built around Great Clans and Minor ones. All swear fealty to the Emperor. Little is known about the Jade Empire to those that live outside it's Great Wall. It is extremely difficult to reach the Jade Empire. No roads extend past it's great wall. To the West is the Undead host, the Ashlands and the Vampire Queen, who the Jade Empire has been fighting for eighty years. To the North is the lands of the Snow Queen, Grokeheim and the Lair of the Two Headed Great White Wyrm, Isehnjartaax. The East boast the Ocean filled with the sails of the Corsairs and the Minotaur fleets. The Jade Empire has a small coastal fleet and their ships fail on the open sea. Poor sailors in poorly designed ships, the people of the Empire mostly use smaller fishing vessels if they live on the coast. To the South lies unsettled territory and the Seventh Sword of Light or the Lygrans of Sopara. The lands between the Southern Wall and these nations is filled with hazards, brigands and monsters. The Emperor The Emperor lives in the Jade City, and has absolute authority within the Jade Empire in regards to administrative, judicial, religious, and military might - although many of the day to day tasks are generally taken care of by proxies. Each clan has a certain level of autonomy, as they each have different customs and cultures. In reality, the Emperor doesn’t hold any actual military power either, except for his Jade Bailiffs. The Daimyos of the Great Clans are the those that command large armies, and their armies are sworn to them. Thus, in order for the Emperor to keep control of the empire, he must appease the Daimyos, and convince them that they let him keep his power. Imperial succession is generally inherited from father to eldest son. If an Emperor has no sons, a daughter could claim the throne as empress. If the Emperor has no children, the Emperor’s eldest brother (or sister if there are no brothers) could claim the throne. Without any clear heirs, historians from each Great Clans will gather to search through the histories to find the person with the closest blood tie to the previous ruling line. The Emperor owns all lands within the empire, allowing the Daimyos to manage the lands for him - because if he did not, they would surely revolt against him. He is the final arbiter in matters of law, and his commands are immediately considered Imperial Law. The Jade Bailiffs The Jade Bailiffs are enforcers of the Emperor’s laws, answering only to the Emperor and the Jade Premier, leader of the Jade Bailiffs. If a criminal is known to be guilty, a bailiff may obtain a confession by whatever means necessary. Jade Bailiffs also act as the Emperor’s imperial guard, with their leader, the Jade Premier, rarely away from the Emperor’s side. The bailiffs are appointed by the Emperor himself, and individuals are often chosen for the position due to politics or as favors, as it is a very prestigious title to have. Traditionally the bailiffs are only chosen from among the Great Clans, although there is no law making a clear restriction on this. The cloth and armor of an Jade bailiff is an unmistakable olive-green. The Clans The empire is home to several Great and Minor Clans who together form the Empire. Major Clans * The Crayfish Clan * The Heron Clan * The Pegasus Clan * The Phoenix Clan * The Tiger Clan * The Wyvern Clan * The Spider Clan Minor Clans * The Finch Clan * The Scorpionfly Clan * The Damselfly Clan * The Wolf Clan * The Rabbit Clan * The Rhino Clan * The Mongoose Clan * The Viper Clan Social Structure The Royal Class: The Royal Class was the highest class in the imperial social hierarchy. * The Emperor of the Jade Empire. Unquestionably this is the superior most rank in the hierarchy. The Emperor is equipped with the supreme power among all the classes. * The Royal Family. Next in the rank are members of the royal family. '' * ''The Jade Premier. The Jade Premier possesses high authority within the Empire. * T''he Jade Bailiffs. The bailiffs answer only to the Jade Premier and the Emperor himself. '''The Noble Class: '''This is the middle level social class in the hierarchy. But in actual practice the entire practical hold of the empire is under these people. * 'Daimyo.' As leaders of the clans, the Daimyo posses great military power through their massive armies and loyal subjects. * 'Lord.' Leaders of noble families, swearing fealty to the daimyo of their clan. They hold a portion of the clan’s lands, have armies, and collect taxes. * 'Shogun.' Shogun lead a Daimyo’s or lord’s armies, commanding great admiration and loyalty from their subjects. * 'Samurai.' Samurai are powerful and courageous warriors, who live by a noble and honorable code. A samurai must be willing to die for his Daimyo. Samurai are greatly respected, and many children hope to become samurai one day. * 'Shaman, shugenja, and monks. Religious figures among the clans are often considered nobility and equal to the samurai - except by the Phoenix, where they are considered higher than samurai and shogun alike. '''The Lower Class. The lowest class in imperial social hierarchy are commoners. They possess very few rights. The different subcategories of commoners in descending order of prestige are as follows: * Master Swordsmiths. Widely respected among the nobles, and well compensated for their craftsmanship. * Peasants, farmers, and miners. Working the fields and mines, they provide the raw materials needed for food, cloth, weapons, and more, on which the higher classes depend. * Artisans. These people are also referred as Craftsmen. They mostly work metal or wood. * Eta. This includes executioners, butchers, tanners, and similar professions. * Hinin. This class includes convicted criminals and wandering bards. * Prostitutes. The least respectable (but not the least used) profession in the empire is without a doubt prostitution. * Gaijin.Gaijin are foreigners - people from outside of the Orient. They are often deemed untrustworthy and honorless, and thus treated with little to no courtesy or respect. Even most prostitutes will refuse gaijin customers. T'he Jade City' (Capital City) * Usagi no Mashi (Castle) * Kitzama Keep (Castle) * Itachi Keep (Castle) * Futari no Kiba (Castle) * Lotus Tower (Tower) * Shimashu (Major City) * Diatora (Major City) * Sadoru (Major City) * Kyusokuna (Major City) * Kora City (Major City) * Tukai Machi (Major City) * Ookami Toshi (Minor City) * Kaeru Toshi (Minor City) * Vyakarana (Minor City) Points of Interest *